Relief of family after 18-year fight for brain damaged son brings £10m payout from Stepping Hill hospital

The family of a boy left with devastating brain damage after being treated in hospital for a routine condition have received a £10 million payout – the biggest in British history. Zach Petrou was a healthy seven-month-old baby when he was taken to Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport with the viral infection croup in 1994.

The family of a boy left with devastating brain damage after being treated in hospital for a routine condition have received a £10 million payout – the biggest in British history.

Zach Petrou was a healthy seven-month-old baby when he was taken to Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport with the viral infection croup in 1994.

His condition deteriorated and he had emergency treatment before being transferred to a second hospital.

But when he was taken off a ventilator there, Zach was found to be severely brain damaged.

His parents Margaret and Andros, from Tameside, believe he was deprived of oxygen during his treatment at Stepping Hill and that caused his injuries.

Despite being warned by experts that they were unlikely to win, they embarked on a marathon legal battle to secure his future.

Now, 18 years on, health chiefs have agreed the settlement - thought to be the biggest ever in the UK. Stepping Hill has not admitted liability but has agreed to pay an eight figure sum to Zach's family, to help pay for his care.

Mum Margaret, 54, said: "We're just very relieved. This result does bring us some level of comfort.

"One of our biggest concerns was what would happen to Zach when we were no longer here to care for him. We can now concentrate on his care and get him the best of what he needs."

Zach is now 19. He is fully mobile but functions at the level of a six to eight month old baby and needs round-the-clock care from at least two full time carers.

He is expected to live beyond the age of 70. Dad Andros, 50, said: "We have been left devastated by what happened to Zach. When we realised how badly brain damaged he was we were inconsolable. His future was taken away from him at that point.

"And the hardest thing to come to terms with has been the fact that we have always believed that what happened to Zach was entirely avoidable.

"Zach went into the hospital a healthy baby boy but was given back to us severely brain damaged. We are still grieving for the baby boy we lost that day.

"The hospital refused to accept responsibility.

"We were forced to go down the legal route just to get justice for our son. We still believe that what happened to Zach should never have happened and we hope that it never happens to another family again."

The settlement was reached with NHS North West, as Stockport NHS Foundation trust, which runs Stepping Hill, did not exist in 1994, when the incident happened.

The money will be paid by the NHS Litigation Authority and will not come out of Stepping Hill funds.

Diane Rostron, medical negligence specialist and partner at Linder Myers solicitors, who represented his family, said: "This judgement is to the credit of the Petrous who have continued their fight to secure justice for their son despite having been advised by two previous law firms that it was unlikely that they would ever win due to the particular challenges of the case.

"Zach requires constant care, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week for the rest of his life.

"Securing the settlement today ...will pay for that essential care."

NHS North West said: "We are pleased that the parties involved in this case have been able to work together to agree a liability settlement which has been approved by the court.

"The Strategic Health Authority would like to pay tribute to the loving and devoted care that Zach's family have provided over the years and also would like to take this opportunity to wish Zach and his family well for the future."

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